Tendrils of the Soul
by Moofy-Fan
Summary: Before the start of the Promised Day, Pride decides to have a little chat with a captive Alphonse. It isn't like there's any chance for his precious human sacrifice to escape after all.


Hello everyone. This is something new for me, a request. My last one-shot was kind of like a request, but kind of not, more like a collaboration, but whatever. I'm excited for this, which is for echi-kin, and I hope she likes it. It's about Pride, so you know it was fun for me to write.

Tendrils of the Soul

Pride, or Selim Bradley as he was more publicly known, sat on an overturned log in a forest, waiting. It wouldn't be much longer until the promised day now, but the silence was starting to get to him. It wasn't that he was bored, it just wasn't the most enjoyable thing to be waiting in the forest to make your move with Gluttony as your only companion.

Smirking slightly, the boy like figure stood up and turned towards a large hulk of metal entwined in shadowy tendrils of darkness. That wasn't entirely true, Gluttony wasn't his _only_ companion. Poor little Alphonse Elric just happened to be sleeping for the moment, what a shame.

Standing next to the armor now, Pride started causing the shadows to twist and turn inside the armor, until they completely covered the blood seal that linked the pathetic human's soul to this world. There was still a few hours before he was required to make his move against the rest of the human sacrifices, there would be no harm in having a little fun while he waited. After all, it wasn't very often he got the chance to act like himself for once, instead of that bothersome childish act.

Alphonse Elric could barely comprehend what was going on around him, it was like his mind was stuck in some sort of fog, and couldn't see anything right. He was surrounded by white, but that was all he could make out. He wasn't at the gate… was he? He couldn't tell. It bothered him and yet it didn't at the same time. He couldn't focus on his annoyance long enough to really acknowledge it.

Slowly something started to come into focus in front of him. It took quite a while to figure out what the bulk of black form with eyes was, but when a huge mouth cut into a grin almost all the way across it, he knew it was just that, and was instantly brought slightly out of the fog from the shock.

"Y-you! Who are…?" he was a bit surprised that he could talk still, but didn't decide to question it as the abomination in front of him seemed to become even more amused.

"Oh? You haven't figured out yet?" the creature asked, his voice seeming to echo around the white space they were in, and for the first time in years, Al felt much smaller then the person, if he could call it that, he was talking to. "Well, you humans are all the same. I guess I'll have to spell it out for you, my name is Pride, and I am the first homunculus," Pride said, his words sounding even more metallic then Al's.

"Pride? Wait, a homunculus? What do you want with me? What is all this?" the soul bound armor asked, trying to sound more confident and in control then he actually was. It didn't seem to effect Pride though.

"This is a safe place where we can keep you nicely under control until the promise day, my _precious _human sacrifice," the sin said, and Al instantly started shaking the helmet that served as his head.

"No! You wont get away with this, brother will-" Al started, but wasn't able to finish his sentence, Pride cutting him off.

"Brother? Oh yes, the tiny alchemist. Don't hold your breath waiting for him to save you, we already have that taken care of," the dark form mocked, twisting itself now that it grew and circled around him, almost like a snake in it's shape.

"I don't believe you. Brother will stop you and your father's plans from happening," Al asserted, not about to let this monster talk him into giving up for a second. He knew it was all a part of their plans, everything was. He may be caught, but that was only for now.

"You humans just don't know when to quit, like _insects_," the sin spat, opening a few more eyes in front of the armor. Al wasn't sure if this was to see him better, or intimidate him, probably both. "Father has succeeded before, and he will again," he rested, but Al wasn't going to give in. He couldn't.

"Before? You mean Cselkcess? It doesn't matter what happened before, we wont let something like that from repeating," Al said, trying his best to stare down the multiple eyes pointed straight at him.

"And that is exactly what's going to be your downfall, Alphonse Elric, but don't worry," Pride said, stopping for a moment to open a mouth directly in front of Al, filled to the brim with dozens of dull, grinding teeth, set into a sick mockery of a real smile, "I'll _always_ admire the _amazing_ Elric brothers," the embodiment of sin said, his metallic voice dipping into the hollow version of a child's, and Al couldn't help but gasp as the slight but undeniable recognition finally hit him.

"No… you're- you're Selim Bradley…" he barely managed to say, and once again the creature surrounding him from all sides smiled at his expense

"Oh, did I give myself away? How clumsy of me. Ah well, it wont matter, tomorrow is the promised day, after all," the monster gloated, and Al just shook his head, still in shock that this beast had tricked him so completely.

"B-but… you were such a sweet boy," Al said, knowing that it was all useless. It had all been an act, and he was a fool for believing him, even if there was no reason for him not to.

"You're still hung up about that? You're even more weak minded that I had thought," the monster said, his body starting to develop long tendrils that spun around and tied up a now struggling Alphonse.

"As I said before, it doesn't matter. The promised day is almost arrived. You should take a nice nap, after all, you have a lot to do for us quite soon, my precious human sacrifice," he said, his voice echoing from all sides, and all Al could do was feebly strain against his bonds, until the fog began returning, and everything turned white again, and he couldn't think anymore.

Once again Pride was standing next to a lifeless hulk of metal in a quickly darkening forest. Finally, Gluttony stirred at his side, swinging himself towards the direction of the slums.

"The fullmetal alchemist, and Greed! I smell them, I smell them! They're close!" the large childlike man said, almost giggling by now. Pride just smirked as he allowed the forms of his shadows to build themselves up in the armored husk, until it was standing tall next to him.

"Well then, why don't we give them a very… pleasant welcome. It is nearly the promised day, after all."

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><p>I hope you liked this, and please review.<p> 


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